An information processing apparatus such as a laptop terminal apparatus has a plurality of sleep states in which the information processing apparatus enters a standby state to suppress power consumption. The transition between the plurality of sleep states includes transition from an active state (normal operating state) to any sleep state and transition from one sleep state to another sleep state, in accordance with the passage of a standby time (idle time) of the information processing apparatus, for example. As an example, Japanese Patent No. 5,941,490 discloses a computer that is provided with two sleep states having different standby power consumptions to transition to a sleep state having larger power consumption after the transition to an active state.
In the information processing apparatus, a transition method between the plurality of sleep states includes a method of transitioning from a sleep state (hereinafter, also referred to as “shallow sleep state”), such as a standby state, having a relatively short return time to an active state to a sleep state (hereinafter, also referred to as “deep sleep state”), such as a hibernation state, having a relatively long return time to the active state after a predetermined idle time. In general, a shallow sleep state has larger power consumption than a deep sleep state, and the reduction of return time and the reduction of power consumption have a trade-off relationship.
The transition method between the sleep states has a problem that any of the reduction of power consumption and the reduction of return time is sacrificed when the same idle time is applied to both of a time zone in which a user frequently uses an information processing apparatus or schedules to use it and a time zone in which the user does not frequently use the information processing apparatus or does not schedule to use it. For example, when a long idle time tailored to the time zone in which the information processing apparatus is frequently used is applied to the information processing apparatus, it is hard to transition to a deep sleep state even in the time zone in which it is not frequently used, and thus the reduction of power consumption cannot be achieved. On the other hand, when a short idle time tailored to the time zone in which the information processing apparatus is not frequently used is applied to the information processing apparatus, it is easy to transition to the deep sleep state between the suspend and resuming of the information processing apparatus in the time zone in which it is frequently used, and thus the return to the active state may require time.
Therefore, the present inventors have found that the reduction of return time is compatible with the reduction of power consumption in accordance with the use of an information processing apparatus by providing two idle times respectively corresponding to a time zone in which the information processing apparatus is frequently used and a time zone in which it is not frequently used.
In other words, an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus and an information processing method in which the reduction of return time can be compatible with the reduction of power consumption in accordance with the use of the information processing apparatus.